Confused about cost breakdown for D*

[sparksals]

I'm a bit confused about this. I have read post after post trying to research if it is worth it for me to switch to D*.

I just called them to enquire to get a breakdown on what it would cost to go with them. I explained my current setup.

We have an E* Dual DVR for the Family room and bedroom. WE have two other TVs with standard receivers - one in my office, the other in the kitchen. We have no HD TV's, but will be getting them in the future, so with free HD for life, figured that would work in our favour in the future.

What I want to do with D* is to have DVR service on three TV's (Family room, Bedroom and Kitchen) and one standard receiver in the office.

Their current promo is two free HD receivers. However, for the third, they will charge $99. Is this common? I haven't read about anyone being charged for an additional receiver, so wondering if I"m missing something. If I have to pay $99 for a receiver, then it's not much of savings for us.

Do I understand this deal correctly or will I get a better deal by calling locally?

 

[jdspencer]

With Whole Home DVR (MRV) you may not need as many DVRs as you think. For example, change the kitchen DVR to a non0DVR HD receiver and then that unit can watch content from the other DVRs. You will need HD DVRs and/or receivers for this. The $99 price is normal for a regular HD receiver.

I'd call DirecTV with the exact specifics of what you want. I'd say two HD DVRs and two HD receivers.

 

[JerseyMatt]

Yes that's normal. And that's what E* would charge you for extra HD receivers as well. The two free HD receivers is one HD DVR and one HD receiver. They also include up to 2 standard receivers free. If you want the standard receivers upgraded to HD (HD receivers are needed for the Whole House DVR - the standard ones are not capable), you pay $99 each ($199 for DVR).

 

[JerseyMatt]

With Whole Home DVR (MRV) you may not need as many DVRs as you think. For example, change the kitchen DVR to a non0DVR HD receiver and then that unit can watch content from the other DVRs. You will need HD DVRs and/or receivers for this. The $99 price is normal for a regular HD receiver.

I'd call DirecTV with the exact specifics of what you want. I'd say two HD DVRs and two HD receivers.

He said DVR "service" in those 3 rooms.. I think the fact that he quoted $99 means he's already been told about MRV. DVR's are $199 each.

 

[sparksals]

Ok, I think I'm using the wrong terminology. I just want to have the ability to watch a recording on three TVs rather than what I have now, which is two. Does this mean I only need one HD DVR plus two HD receivers for whole home and then a standard (which is free) for the office? Does this mean the third would still be $99?

 

[joed32]

Ok, I think I'm using the wrong terminology. I just want to have the ability to watch a recording on three TVs rather than what I have now, which is two. Does this mean I only need one HD DVR plus two HD receivers for whole home and then a standard (which is free) for the office? Does this mean the third would still be $99?

A DVR can only send out one stream at a time so you would be best at 2 HD DVRs and 1 HD receiver.

 

[sparksals]

I don't need to watch three shows at a time. Two is the max since there are only two of us. If I"m watching a recording in the kitchen, my husband will either be watching a recording or live TV in the bedroom or Family room. The majority of recording watching will be in the FR and BR. Does this still require two DVRs? sorry for the confusion. I just want the ability to have recordings on three TVs, not necessarily to watch or record at the same time. Two works for us in terms of two shows recording at once as in the DUal DVR we currently have with E*.

 

[JerseyMatt]

You can watch one recording at the DVR unit and one recording at any one of the other two HD locations. So for example if the DVR is in the family room, your husband can watch a recording in the family room and you can watch another recording in the bedroom OR kitchen. However, you would NOT be able to play a recording in the kitchen AND bedroom at the same time. The DVR is only capable of streaming a recording to one remote TV at a time.

Your other advantage with D* over E*'s dual setup is the DVR's tuners are completely independent of the other TV's. So if you have two recordings scheduled at the same time in the family room, you can still watch something different in the bedroom and kitchen. With the E* setup, you would be forced to watch whatever show is recording on tuner 2 in the bedroom. The D* system is actually capable of recording 2 programs simultaneously on the DVR, watching a 3rd recording on the DVR, AND streaming a 4th recording to one of the other HD boxes all at the same time!

 

[sparksals]

You can watch one recording at the DVR unit and one recording at any one of the other two HD locations. So for example if the DVR is in the family room, you can watch a recording in the family room and another in the bedroom OR kitchen. However, you would NOT be able to watch a recording in the kitchen AND bedroom at the same time. The DVR is only capable of streaming a recording to one remote TV at a time.

Your other advantage with D* over E*'s dual setup is the DVR's tuners are completely independent of the other TV's. So if you have two recordings scheduled at the same time in the family room, you can still watch something different in the bedroom. With the E* setup, you would be forced to watch whatever show is recording on tuner 2 in the bedroom.

I didn't know the bolded and I want to clarify: you're saying if a recording is also being watched in the FR, that recordings can't be viewed in the Bedroom and kitchen aka three at once. I'm assuming your statement is based on a third program and not watching a recording only in the Kitchen and Bedroom - thus two recordings. Or do you mean that two recordings cannot be viewed at once in the kitchen and bedroom even if the Family room TV is not even being used to record or watch?

 

[JerseyMatt]

Correct. The DVR is only capable of streaming ONE recorded program to ONE remote TV at a time. Even if there is no one watching in the family room, you can only watch a recording on ONE of the other HD receivers. This is a software limitation of the receiver itself. But this in no way affects you watching LIVE TV on the other TV's. It also does not affect your ability to simultaneously record two programs while watching a 3rd recorded program on the DVR and a 4th recorded program or live TV on one of the remote TV's. Every TV has an independent tuner and is in no way bound to anything that is happening on the DVR (unlike the way it is with your E* DVR) unless you want to watch it.

 

[sparksals]

Ok, thank you so much for that explanation. I got it now. The limitation on TV2 and TV3 is minor. If' I'm watching something in the kitchen, dh can watch in the FR instead of the bedroom. Problem solved!